The Hungarian state, being a member of the European Union while also holding the status of an observer state in the Organization of Turkic States, serves as a bright example of a bridge between Europe and the East. The country had to go through a difficult path of rethinking its position in the world arena in order to turn its face to the East and assume the mission of unification. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Hungary to Uzbekistan, Mr. József ROZSA, in his conversation with the correspondent of our magazine talked about the priorities and tasks of Hungarian diplomacy, about the role of his country in the Organization of Turkic States.
– Mr. Ambassador, diplomatic relations between Uzbekistan and Hungary were established in 1992. What key milestones in the development of these relations would you highlight, and how would you characterize the current level of cooperation, especially in light of high-level visits in recent years?
– In the 1990s and 2000s, Hungary and Uzbekistan had different geopolitical priorities. Our country focused on developing relations with Western Europe, became a member of the European Union, while Uzbekistan’s foreign policy concentrated on the Central Asian region and the CIS countries. The change in Hungary’s foreign policy paradigm occurred as a result of the financial and economic crisis of 2008-2009. It became evident to Hungary’s political elite that there was a pressing need for geographical expansion of political and economic relations. As a result, in 2012 Hungary chose the path of “Eastern Opening.” Since that time, our country has opposed the idea of dividing the world into blocs, has pursued a highly open and pragmatic foreign policy, and has become a meeting point between East and West in Europe. The success of the Eastern Opening policy is confirmed by strong ties with Asian countries. Hungarian-Uzbek relations began to develop rapidly after Shavkat Mirziyoyev was elected President of Uzbekistan, as under his leadership Uzbekistan also began to pursue an open and pragmatic foreign policy.
As a first step, the Embassy of Hungary opened in Tashkent in 2016. This was followed by the signing of the Declaration on Strategic Partnership in 2021, and since then, the leaders of our countries have held regular meetings and engaged in active joint work within the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) and other international organizations. I can state that there is currently strong political trust between our countries. Hungarian diplomats in Uzbekistan are working diligently to strengthen relations, and I am confident that since the opening of Uzbekistan’s embassy in Budapest in 2023, Uzbek diplomats are doing the same.
– In 2023, there was a significant leap in cooperation between Uzbekistan and Hungary, including the opening of Uzbekistan’s embassy in Budapest, the entry of the OTP Bank into the Uzbek market, and the creation of a joint investment fund. Which of these initiatives do you consider most important for the long-term development of bilateral relations, and what other areas of cooperation do you see as the most promising?
– In my point of view, each of these events clearly illustrates the partnership between our countries. I believe the most promising areas of cooperation include agriculture, the food industry and animal husbandry, water management, pharmaceuticals, and mechanical engineering. Initial initiatives involving advanced Hungarian expertise are already being implemented in these fields. A spectacular example is the creation of a poultry cluster in the Syrdarya region, involving both Hungarian and Uzbek capital. On an area of 130 hectares, eight poultry farms, an incubator, a slaughterhouse, a processing plant, a feed mill, and other facilities will be constructed.
Moreover, Hungarian companies show great interest in building effective industrial cooperation chains with access to Common of Independent States markets, thanks to Uzbekistan’s GSP+ beneficiary status. I would also like to note that the government of Uzbekistan is allocating a special economic zone for Hungarian businesses.
– How do you assess the potential for cooperation between Uzbekistan and Hungary in the fields of education and science, given Hungary’s experience in higher education and research activities? What specific programs or projects in this area do you consider to be a priority?
– The potential is simply enormous, and I would like to note that both sides are currently actively working to enhance cooperation. Hungary has extensive experience in the digitalization of public administration, and our experts are gladly sharing their knowledge with Uzbek partners. In February, the National University of Public Service of Hungary conducted advanced training courses for local government officials from Uzbekistan in this area.
Furthermore, pharmaceutical education is a highly promising field. In 2023, Semmelweis University signed a Cooperation Agreement with the Tashkent Pharmaceutical Institute. I would also like to highlight that within the framework of the Stipendium Hungaricum program, the Hungarian government annually grants up to 170 scholarships to citizens of Uzbekistan to study at Hungarian universities, and I am confident that the graduates will play a significant role in the further development of bilateral relations.
18/08/2025 
Leave a Reply